Fup by Jim Dodge

Val Penny ♦ May 16, 2013 ♦ Leave a comment

I have no idea what the attraction of Fup by Jim Dodge is.  It left me completely cold.  I read it as it was the book put forward by my book group.

The story, such as it is, is about a twenty pound duck that won’t fly, thirty miles of barbed-wire fencing, and several batches of illicit whiskey. Fup is apparently a classic tale that is meant to celebrate all the amazing connections and pitfalls of rustic living.

The story is set in the coastal hills of northern California, USA,  between 1880 and the present.

The plot revolves around Grandaddy Jake Santee who believes he is immortal, his grandson Tiny whose passion is building masterfully crafted fences even though they do not have any stock, and Fup, a hen mallard with a prodigious appetite.

These three come together in a tale that has won international acclaim and the affection of thousands of readers.  I have no idea why! I would give Fup a wide body swerve.